Raspberry Prasselkuchen (Raspberry Streusel Bars)

Thin puff pastry layered with bright and fruity jam and topped with buttery streusel, this Prasselkuchen is like an open faced raspberry toaster strudel with streusel on top.

What is Prasselkuchen?

Prasselkuchen can be made a few different ways, but no matter what it always has a layer of puff pastry on the bottom and streusel on top. Jam can go between the puff pastry and streusel before baking or it can be brushed on warm to the freshly baked pastry and streusel. Most often, if the jam is layered between the pastry and the streusel then a glaze will be drizzled over the top once it is baked.

Can I use store bought Puff Pastry?

Yes! I love using store bought puff pastry for this recipe, it makes it a quick and easy dessert that is guaranteed to work! In the ingredients section you can find my recommendations for store bought puff pastry.

Can this be made in advance?

Yes, this kuchen (cake) actually tastes amazing the second day because the jam has had a chance to absorb into the pastry. But I do recommend eating it the first or second day that it is made.

More Streusel Recipes…

• Peach Streusel Coffee Cake | Pfirsichkuchen
• Cranberry Streuselkuchen
• Lemon Blueberry Streuseltaler

Tips for making this Raspberry Streusel Bars

• Once the frozen puff pastry has thawed, work quickly. The colder the butter in the pastry stays, the more it will puff!
• Use any jam you want but don’t add too much, otherwise you will end up with a soggy bottom. The sizes of sheets of puff pastry will vary depending on the brand so the amount of jam listed in the ingredients is an approximation – you just want a thin layer of jam covering the whole surface of the pastry.
• Allow the prasselkuchen to cool fully before cutting into it or serving it. This will help it to set up and the flavors to meld.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for the streusel in this recipe! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Butter: Other than the butter that is already in the puff pastry, there is only butter added to the streusel.
• Sugar: There is granulated sugar in the streusel and powdered sugar in the glaze.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a little welcome flavor to the streusel in this recipe.
• Puff Pastry: This recipe uses 1 sheet of puff pastry but can easily be scaled up or down. The size/volume of puff pastry sheets will vary from brand to brand. I recommend using your favorite brand or making it from scratch using your favorite recipe. Dufour makes my favorite store bought puff pastry because of its quality but the puff pastry from Pepperidge farms also performs well.
• Jam: Any jam will work for this recipe – I like to use something tart, like raspberry jam, to balance out the sweetness of the streusel, but use your favorite!
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is the liquid in the glaze of this recipe but you can also replace it with water if you don’t think the lemon will work well with the jam you choose.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar can be used to make the glaze or you can just dust the top with powdered sugar!

How to make Raspberry Prasselkuchen

Par Bake

• Preheat the oven to 425 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Defrost one sheet of puff pastry according to the package instructions.
• Briefly roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface until it is even and semi pliable – not too much.
• Bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until puffed and just lightly browned.

Make the Streusel

• While the pastry is in the oven, make the streusel.
• Combine all streusel ingredients into a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients by hand until there are no dry bits left. Set aside.

Assemble & Bake

• Once just barely golden, take the pastry out of oven and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smash down the pastry, leaving about 1/2″ border un-smashed on all edges.
• Spread the jam, saving a few tablespoons, out into an even layer over the pastry using a spoon.
• Crumble the streusel over the jam and then spoon the remaining jam over the top of the streusel in teaspoon sized dollops.

Bake & Glaze

• Turn the oven down to 400 F and bake the prasselkuchen again for 20-25 minutes. Rotate it 180 degrees halfway through – and bake until the streusel and bottom of the puff pastry are golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Top with either a dusting of powdered sugar or the lemon glaze explained below.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until a thin glaze is formed. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled prasselkuchen.
• Cut into 9 pieces and enjoy!

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